Mining officer, accountant held in Odisha mining scam

The anti-corruption vigilance sleuths today arrested two officials of steel and mines department on charge of showing undue favour to a Kolkata based industry by recommending and issuing permits for transportation of Iron Ore without valid license, official sources said.
The officials, who have been sent to the judicial custody till September 26 after their bail petitions were rejected by the special vigilance court in Keonjhar, are identified as Ramesh Chandra Mahalik, Ex- Mining Officer and Girish Chandra Bose, Junior Accountant, both office of the Deputy Director, Mines, Joda.
"We have registered a case on September 11 against both the officials and arrested them. They were produced in the Keonjhar Special Vigilance court today," said SP (Vigilance) Sashi Bhushan Mishra.

Earlier, the vigilance department had registered a case
under section 13 (2) ,13 (1) (d) of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988/ 420/120-B IPC/ 21 MMRD Act 1957 against five persons including the duo.
Besides Mahalik and Bose, case has also been registered against the names of Routray Murmu, Ex-Mining Officer, Prasanna Kumar Das, Ex- Junior Accountant (all are of the office of Deputy Director Mines, Joda, Dist- Keonjhar), Sanjay Patwari, Director M/s Rashmi Metaliks Limited, Gukulpur and M/s Rashmi Metaliks Ltd., Gokulpur.

Though the firm had no valid license for trading of Iron Ore during the period from August 10, 2008 to August 28, 2008, it was engaged in transportation of Iron Ore violating the Orissa Minerals (Prevention of Theft, Smuggling and Illegal Mining and Regulation of Possession, Storage, Trading and Transportation) Rules 2007, Vigilance SP Mishra pointed out.

"During the period the company made transaction of 33079.01 MT of iron ore illegally and thereby obtained pecuniary benefit of Rs. 6,28,65,880," he said.
Meanwhile, Mishra said a raid was conducted at the residence of Rashmi Metalliks MD Sanjay Patwari in Kolkata.